DENVER — Denver7 is following the reaction from local elections officials after President Donald Trump called on Republicans to “take over” and “nationalize” voting.
Article I, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution gives states the responsibility of holding elections. It states: "The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of choosing Senators."
The federal government, including Congress and several agencies, is responsible for crafting election laws and policies.
Trump originally made the comments in a Monday podcast interview with former FBI Director Dan Bongino. He doubled down on his controversial suggestion a day later.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Trump was referring to the SAVE Act.
That's legislation President Trump has been pushing Republicans to pass during his second term in office. It would require proof of citizenship to vote, even though citizenship is already legally required to do so. The SAVE Act, does, however, specify what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005.
Later Tuesday, reporters asked the President to clarify his comments on nationalizing elections as he signed the government funding bill surrounded by Republicans in the White House.
The President did not mention the SAVE Act.
“I want to see elections be honest,” Trump said when asked by reporters to clarify what he meant about nationalizing elections, while signing the funding bill. “If a state can’t run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it.”
Trump again repeated his false claims about the 2020 election being rigged.
"When you see some of these states, how horribly they run their elections. Go to 2020, look at the facts coming out, rigged, crooked elections," President Trump said.
Trump mentioned Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Pennsylvania as places that have "horrible corruption with elections."
Denver County Clerk and Recorder Paul López said these statements are meant to sow distrust in fair elections.
“I think it's absolutely outrageous,” López said. “That's not what the Constitution says. That's not how the election system works. Those powers are reserved to the states. It is against the law what he's saying.”
López said elections should be non-partisan and not controlled by one party, as President Trump suggested.
"It creates a sense of partisanship where there is no partisanship. Elections officials are Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated. They work together, putting country before party," López said.
Denver7 has previously covered President Trump's attempts to change how elections are run when he issued an executive order in March 2025 that voters must show proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
